Electric warming pad



June 23, 1942. H. A. PREMACK ELECTRIC WARMING PAD Filed May 15, 1940 INVENTOR. a 51? ATTORNE.

Patented June 23, 1942 i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 4 Claims.

This invention relates to electric warming pads and means for mounting the same, and more.

particularly to such pads as are adapted for use in bed for warming a part of the human body.

It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide an improved bag or holder for an electric heating pad, which bag or holder is so arranged as to facilitate strapping or otherwise securing the bag about a part of the human body for warming the same. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a stand adapted to receive an electric heating pad and so constructed that the stand, with the pad thereon, may be mounted in a bed, adjacent the foot thereof, and will hold the pad at such an inclination as to facilitate placing of the soles and heels of the feet thereagainst, for warmth.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a bag or container for adapting an ordinary electric heating pad for use with a strap for securing the pad about the body, or for use with a stand to be mounted in a bed.

The attainment of the above and further objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing forming a part thereof.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a perspective view of a stand adapted to receive an electric heating pad and be positioned in a bed between the bed clothes;

Figure 2 is an end view of the stand of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a plan view, partially broken away, of an electric heating pad within a bag embodying the present invention;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view of a strap used for securing the bag of Figure 3 of the body; and

Figure 5 is a plan view of a modified form of bag structure.

Reference may now be had more particularly to Figure 3. In this figure I have shown a bag, indicated at I, which may be of cloth or other textile fabric, or may be of rubber or other waterproof fabric, or of any other suitable flexible material. The bag comprises an ordinary envelope closed at three sides and open at the fourth, the fourth side being provided with a flap 2 that is integral with the back of the bag and extends over the front thereof and is secured in place by a snap fastener 3. At each corner of the bag along one face thereof there is provided a short circular projecting tab 4, which is an integral part of the bag. This tab carries one member 5 of a pair of snap fasteners. The fasteners are preferably of the male and female snap action type, the member 5 being, preferably, the female member of the snap fastening set.

A stand, illustrated more fully in Figures 1 and 2, is provided for receiving the bag I of Figure 3. The stand is a box-like structure comprising a base It! having a top H hinged thereto in any desired manner, as by a pair of hinges I2l2. Both the base I0 and the top II have rims 13 extending around the periphery thereof and adapted to abut against one another when the box is closed. This provides a space within the box for holding the electric heating pad when the same is not in use. A pair of links l4-l5 are hinged together at l6 and hinged at I! and 18 to the rims l3 of the base and top, respectively. These links are adapted to hold the top in an inclined position, as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2. When the top H is held in the position illustrated in Figure 2, that is, with the links l4-l5 in toggle position, the top is approximately but somewhat less than at right angles to the horizontal. The angle chosen is preferably such as to correspond to the angle of the soles of the feet of a person lying in a supine position. The friction at the joints l6, l1 and I8 is insuflicient to hold the top against turning at the hinges I2 by the usual pressure exerted thereagainst, even when the links [4-45 are at an angle to one another. Thus the top Il may be tilted angularly to suit individual preferences, and will remain in its angularly adjusted position.

The front of the hinged top II has a number of members 20 of snap fastener sets secured thereto. The members 20 are male fasteners upon which the female snap fasteners 5 are adapted to be positioned and snapped into place, thereby holding the bag I in position, and with the lower edge of the bag I appreciably below the lower edge of the top H.

The stand of Figure 1 is adapted to be placed in a bed, adjacent the foot thereof, and the bag I, containing the electric heating pad 8 therein snapped in place, as indicated in Figure 2, at which time the bag I is held at the desired angle to the vertical. The angle chosen, as illustrated in Figure 2, is approximately although the construction may be such that this angle is greater or smaller as desired. When a person lies supine in bed the soles and heels of the feet are approximately at this angle to the vertical. Therefore the sole and the heel of each foot may be in contact with the heater and. thus be maintained warm.

The bag of Figure 2 may be fastened about the body so as to maintain the wearer thereof warm while asleep. This may be accomplished. by using a strap 30, illustrated in Figure 4, and comprising an elastic band 3| having male type fasteners 20 similar to those of Figure l, at one end thereof, and its opposite end looped through a clip 32 which carries a tab 33 having another male fastener 20. The strap 3| is adjustable through the clip 32 by a slide fastener 34, in the usual manner. One or more straps 30 may be used to hold the bag in proper position about the body.

In Figure I have illustrated a bag I somewhat similar to the bag I of Figure 3 but differing therefrom in that here the projecting tabs 4 have been omitted. In this bag the female snap fastener members 5 are located at the corners of the bag. It is "to be understood that the bag I has a flap 2 and snap fasteners 3 corresponding to the bag I of Figure 3.

When the heating pad 'is not in use it may be placed in the container formed by the rims l3 of the stand of Figure 1, the stand being collapsed to constitute a box for the bag.

If desired the female typesnap fasteners 5 may be secured directly to the pad 8, thus dispensing with the'bag I. When this is done the pad appears as in Figure 3, or in Figure 5, with the part indicated at I or I, respectively, constituting the pad instead of the bag.

In compliance with the requirements of the patent statutes I have here shown and described a 'few preferred embodiments of my invention. It is, however, to'be understood that the invention is not limited to the precise constructions here shown, the same being merely illustrative of the principles of the invention.

What I consider new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: 1

1. In combination with a fiexible'encased e1ectric heating pad comprising a complete operative unit, a separate stand for mounting the pad at an-angle to the horizontal, said stand being free of sharp corners and adapted to be placed in a bed between bed covers for holding a heating pad in foot warming position and including a base, a padsupport hinged to the base, 'means for releasably'holding a pad on the outside of the support, means for releasably holding the support at an angle to the base approximating a right angle, whereby when the base is positioned in a bed the support holds a pad at an inclination approximately that of the soles of the feet of a person in the supine position and electric circuit establishing means extending to the pad independently of the stand whereby the pad remains an operative unit even when removed from the stand.

2. In combination with a flexible encased electric heating pad, a stand for mounting the pad at an angle to the horizontal, said stand being free of sharp corners and adapted to be placed in a bed between bed covers for holding a heating pad in foot warming position and including a base, a pad support hinged to the base, means for releasably holding a pad. on the outside of the support, means for releasably holding the support at an angle to the base approximating a right angle, whereby when the base is positioned in a bed the support holds a pad at an inclination approximately that of the soles of the feet of a person in the supine position, said base and support together constituting a boxlike structure adapted to receive the heating pad forstorage.

3. In combination a box of substantially rectangular pancake shape and having a hinged cover, means for releasably holding the cover in its open position at approximately right angles to its closed position, an electric heating pad separate from said box, fasteners on the outer surface of the cover and cooperating fasteners on the heating pad for releasably securing the pad to the outer side of the cover, said box being free of sharp corners and adapted to be placed in a bed between bed covers for holding the pad in foot warming position at an inclination approximately that of thesoles of a person in the supine position, said box constituting-a receptacle for the pad when the pad is removed from the cover.

4. In combination a box of substantially rectangular pancake shape and having a hinged cover, means for releasably holding the cover in its open position at approximately right angles to its closed position, an electric heating pad separate from 'said box, snap fasteners at the upper outer part of the open cover and cooperating snap fasteners on the heating pad for releasably securing the pad to the outer side of the cover, said box being free of sharp corners and adapted to be placed in a bed between bed covers for holding the padin foot warming position at an inclinationapproximately that of the soles of a person in the supine position,said heating pad extending below the bottom edge of the outer surface of the open cover and said box constituting a receptacle for the pad when the pad is removed from'the cover.

HYMAN A. PREMACK. 

